Another Disappointing Playoff Exit for the Rox

All photos of Northwoods League Great Plains West Playoffs available on Flickr.

The St. Cloud Rox squandered another phenomenal regular season with a heartbreaking first round playoff loss at the hands of the Mankato Moondoogs this past week.  The key to winning in baseball - more than just about any sport due to the number of games - is less about your overall season record and more about how well you're playing going into the postseason, so the Rox second-best record of 47-22 was almost meaningless when you consider that they ended the season losing two consecutive games to their first round opponent, the Moondogs.  They would also go on to lose Game 1 of the 3-game set in Mankato, and things were looking grim as the first round is almost always a sweep in this league.  However, they did at least manage to win one game before their eventual downfall, which was the game I happened to go to.  Their 4-0 victory was a game completely dictated by starting pitching, as most playoff games tend to be.  The Rox starter Hunter Day pitched one of the best games of his life, tossing 7 innings of shutout ball with 7 strikeouts and over 100 pitches.  The Moondogs starter Braden Grimm basically singlehandedly lost the game more so than the Rox earned the win.  After getting the first out of the 2nd on a fly out, he went on to walk 4 consecutive batters to hand the Rox their first run, then give up a run-scoring sac fly, and then the Rox managed to steal one more run quite literally on a nifty double-steal play they've been running all season.  The inning would end with St. Cloud leading 3-0 on no hits, and for a long time it was looking like they would win this game while also getting no hit.  However, as soon as Wild Thing came out of the game in the 6th, the Rox would immediately notch their first hit to avoid this odd feat.  The Rox did everything they could to lose this game, as their shortstop almost had more errors (3) than the team had hits (4).  Ben Smith picked a great time for his first save of the season with 2 lockdown innings to close the game.  As I eluded to, this valiant effort was sadly all for naught, as St. Cloud would go on to get smoked 10-4 in Game 3.

This has been a really fun team to watch the last couple of years and it was disappointing to see them lose again, but this is one of the best supported teams in all the Northwoods League, and it was awesome to be a part of it in a playoff atmosphere this year.  The Green Bay Rockers would go on to win their 2nd Summer Collegiate World Series in 3 years (they still call it this even though it is now only one game), and in doing so maintained a streak of all Great Lakes Division teams winning the league since the realignment in 2019.  Megan and I are considering changing up our ticket package next year as we are just not huge fans of Joe Faber Field, but we'll still for sure be out to see this exciting team at some point in 2026.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 8/18/25:

Brewers 78-45, +8.0, -- WC; 5 @ Cubs, 3 v. Giants, 4 v. Diamondbacks, 3 @ Blue Jays

Twins 58-66, -14.0, -9.0 WC; 3 v. Athletics, 3 @ White Sox, 3 @ Blue Jays, 3 v. Padres

Athletics 56-70, -14.0, -12.0 WC; 3 @ Twins, 3 @ Mariners, 3 v. Tigers, 3 v. Rangers

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 8
Peter - 28

ISG Field Renovation

All photos of Mankato and ISG Field available on Flickr.

With summer already winding down, we took a quick 24-hour family vacation to Mankato this past weekend.  For purposes of this blog, the highlight was finally getting to see the extensive $4M renovation to the now-named ISG Field, but we had lots of fun things planned before the 6:30 first pitch.  The trip began with a rainy 2-hour drive south down MN-15 and arriving at the Wow Zone around noon.  This was a kind of like a Dave & Busters type of place with an arcade, bowling alley, laser tag, bar & restaurant, and a small glow-in-the-dark mini-golf course.  We spent a few hours there and then, or course, did some swimming at the hotel pool.  Our kids would have had zero interest in this vacation if it did not involve swimming, so that was a must-do.  We had a little time to kill before heading to the ballpark, so we stopped at the lone brewery in town - Locale - and Megan and I tossed back a flight and played Uno with the kids until game time.  We didn't get to spend much time outdoors during our short vacation, but from what I could tell, Mankato seemed to have a decent downtown and riverfront that might be worth exploring further someday.

ISG Field was directly in between downtown and our hotel, and we parked in a free lot beyond the 1st base dugout, just barely out of reach of any errant foul balls.  This was the same lot I remember parking in with Erik on our trip there 15 years ago, but beyond that, almost everything else has changed dramatically.  To call what ISG Field underwent in the 2017-18 offseason a "renovation" is almost not a strong enough term, as the grandstand behind home plate is just about the only remaining feature from the original 1961 ballpark.  Looking back through my 2010 photos, the park is almost unrecognizable beyond that grandstand.  One of my most vivid memories from my last visit is that the players had to change clothes on the field after the game because they didn't have proper locker rooms, so that was an immediate need that was addressed first and foremost in this renovation, along with additional restrooms and new dugouts.  The players also received a 100% new field turf playing surface, which just makes sense in this climate and at this level of baseball.  On the fan side of things, the concourses have received a jolt with a slew of new concessions, including a neat little right field area featuring a couple of snack sheds and a platform stage for pregame musical acts.  The right field corner is also the general admission grass berm which is where we sat, and although the music drowned out the PA speakers until the game started, it was a very chill and casual atmosphere here that was ideal for families and those folks who aren't super into the game itself.  Several new seating areas were added around the ballpark as well that have a wide range of inclusivity.  The third baseline now has the "Dog Pound," which is akin to the Duck Blind in Madison - an all-you-can-eat-and-drink section with picnic tables that sells individual tickets.  There is also a similar area called the Diamond Lounge which is atop the Moondogs' 1st base dugout.  Same concept, but you can only reserve tables in this area with a half season or full season ticket package, so it's a bit more exclusive and upscale, which I thought was a neat idea - sort of like a rewards member lounge at an airport.  Going even more exclusive, two new group areas were added as well.  The Community Bank Ledger Lounge is right next to the Diamond Lounge and is basically the same except it is for groups only.  I thought that the Dog House Suites were the coolest new addition to the ballpark.  They are constructed with hollowed-out shipping containers stacked on top of each other, just beyond the right field wall.  Each "container" holds a group of 20, and a shared private rooftop holds another 80 people.  This area features special catering available nowhere else, and it is also the only place in the entire ballpark where you can catch a homerun!  Lastly, a large new jumbotron was added adjacent to the right field pole, probably one of the bigger ones in the league aside from Madison and Green Bay.  

The renovation was extensive, cohesive, much-needed, and well-deserved for the city and the team.  It was a great example of how a partnership (city paid $3M and team $1M) can benefit not just the immediate fanbase, but the entire city, as this park is used throughout the year for high school and college sports, and other events as well.  I do still have a few gripes with the park following the remodel.  First and foremost, I'm not sure how you spend seven figures on a remodel and don't throw in another 5 grand for a bounce house.  The fact that a ballpark in this league does not even have a feeble attempt at a kids area is very shortsighted and beyond my comprehension.  As a parent of small children and as somebody who's grown accustomed to wandering the park during the game, it's a pretty glaring omission.  It would not be hard to fit something like this in an outfield corner and it could have paid for itself 10X over by now.  Secondly, the sound system is nearly inaudible, at least where we were sitting.  I would argue that the GA family section needs a better sound quality than anywhere else so that they can at least hear what they can't see.  Again, not sure how you spend all that money to upgrade the scoreboard but keep the old shitty speakers.  My last complaint would be about the severely underutilized area behind the grandstand.  When you enter the ballpark, the fruits of the renovation are right in front of you, but they're all mostly compacted together right by the entry, and it's kind of a pinch point.  The team could have easily spread out some of the new concessions in the cavernous area behind the grandstand that is just this weird lonely expanse of concrete.  I'm not normally an advocate of active concourses that can't see the field, but in the case of how this park is laid out, it makes sense and it could be a pretty cool Madison or Everett plaza space if done right, and it would alleviate the congestion of the front entrance, especially for sellouts like Saturday night was.  Overall though, I think my complaints are really just me looking for things to point out, and most people who are not avid ballpark enthusiasts would not even notice or care.  This was a very thoughtful renovation, and it pulls ISG Field up from the bottom of the league to at least the middle if not near the top.

We only made it about 5 innings after our long adventurous day, and the Moondogs already had a commanding lead over our hometown Rox by then, in a game that was essentially meaningless as both teams had already clinched the playoffs.  This game would be the 2nd of 3 victories in consecutive days by Mankato over St. Cloud, as they also won Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs last night against each other.  My daughter did defect to becoming a Moondog fan during the game after one of their players threw her a shirt and his cap during warmups, and I can't say that I blame her.  Mankato ended up winning by a final score of 10-1 in front of over 2,000 fans in the final game of the regular season.  Arizona Freshman Tony Lira went 2-4 with 4 RBI and Iowa Senior Caleb Wulf went 4-5 out of the 3-hole, finishing the season with a .322 average.  Team MVP Tyson Leblanc notched another 2 hits for the visitors and finished the year with a .345 average in 41 games.  Both of these teams have a reputation for stellar pitching, and Moondog starter Daniel Quintero delivered another fine performance with 7 strong innings of 1-run ball.  

The end of the Northwoods League season always signals the unofficial end to summer for me, so this was no doubt a bittersweet trip, but very fun nonetheless.  It's looking like it might be another year where the Rox squander a phenomenal regular season, but hopefully they can avoid elimination and prove me wrong in Game 2 of the playoffs tonight - more on that next week.

park stats and rankings
(see original post from 8/4/10):
aesthetics - improves to 6
views from park - 3
view to field - 5
surrounding area - 3
food variety - improves to 7 (bonus points for free pulled pork on Fan Appreciation Night)
nachos - 5
beer - improves to 8 ($3 domestics before first pitch)
vendor price - 8
ticket price - 9 ($10 GA)
atmosphere - 7
walk to park - 4
parking proximity - 10
concourses - improves to 6
team shop - decreases to 4 (just a shed)
kids area - n/a

best food - pulled pork
most unique stadium feature - Dog House Suites in RF
best jumbotron feature - Moondog logo graphic, just to show off that they know how to work the new jumbotron
best between-inning feature - Dress Like a Moondog race

updated field dimensions - 315/390/320

starters - Piercen McElyea (STC) v. Daniel Quintero (MAN)
opponent - St. Cloud Rox
time of game - 2:28
attendance - 2068
score - 10-1 W
Brewers score that day - 7-4 W

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 8/11/25:

Brewers 73-44, +6.0, -- WC; 3 v. Pirates, 3 @ Reds

Twins 56-61, -11.0, -5.5 WC; 3 @ Yankees, 4 v. Tigers

Athletics 53-67, -14.0, -10.0 WC; 3 v. Rays, 3 v. Angels

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 8
Peter - 27

Arizona Approves Funding for Chase Field Renovations

(photo from my visit to Chase Field for the 2023 World Series)

The Arizona Diamondbacks are currently in the process of selling off players to plan for their future, and they're planning for their future on the operations side as well.  Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed legislation last month that will unlock up to $500 million in funding for critical Chase Field infrastructure renovations.  These funds are being activated through an increasingly common mechanism in the sports world (including the new A's park), which is essentially a tax district that will capture all sales tax revenue generated by the stadium and a defined surrounding area, as well as "jock tax" revenue, and use that money to pay back the funds.  Not to get too much in the weeds here, but I think it's worth pointing out in today's political climate that the governor is a Democrat in a purple state and this bill received wide bipartisan support.  I mentioned in a post last year that the Diamondbacks are up against the end of their current lease approaching in 2027, and without these renovations, the team surely would have been forced to explore other stadium options.  So, regardless of what you might think of subsidizing sports venues, it was a wise move for Gov. Hobbs' reelection campaign to push for this bill to ensure the D-Backs did not leave Phoenix under her watch - this new source of funding will keep the Snakes in Phoenix through at least 2057.  Chase Field has been a boon to the urban core since the franchise's inception, particularly within the last few years following the team's World Series run in 2023.

I was at that World Series, and I vividly recall how much the stadium had barely seemed to change at all in the previous 16 years since I was first there in 2007.  The speaker system was a garbled mess, the jumbotron looked like it was well past its functional use, screens were pixelated and hard to read, and the air conditioning did not seem to be reaching to the upper deck where I sat.  By that point in 2023, the D-Backs had not even been able to safely open their roof for a couple of years while fans were inside.  All very similar problems that the Brewers faced recently, which also had to be rectified with state funding.  The Chase Field bill passed by the State of Arizona made it very clear that no money can be used for any aesthetic upgrades or fan suites, so if you factor in the $250M the team is also kicking in for that aspect, this stadium could look and feel very different in a few years.  Selfishly, I'm always sort of secretly hoping for new stadiums, but in the case of some teams like the D-Backs or the Blue Jays that have prime downtown real estate with an expensive obsolete roof, a renovation makes way more sense.  Despite the fact that I've been to Arizona for baseball more than just about any non-resident state, I may just have to return to see the renovations when they are complete.  It's a very exciting time in my world as a ballpark chaser, as all these chess pieces start to move with different teams, to think about how different the baseball stadium landscape might look in the next decade.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 7/31/25:

Brewers 64-44, +1.0, -- WC; 3 @ Nationals, 3 @ Braves, 3 v. Mets

Twins 51-57, -12.0, -5.5 WC; 3 @ Guardians, 3 @ Tigers, 3 v. Royals

Athletics 48-63, -15.0, -10.0 WC; 3 v. Diamondbacks, 3 @ Nationals, 3 @ Orioles

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 8
Peter - 24

Tampa Bay Rays Reportedly Being Sold

It was announced around the All-Star Break last week that Stu Sternberg, the current majority owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, had reached an agreement in principle to sell the team to a group led by Patrick Zalupski, a Florida developer.  Details are scarce at this point, other than the fact that the valuation is around $1.7 billion, and that the deal could be completed as soon as September.  It's worth noting that Sternberg originally purchased the Rays for "only" $200M in 2004.  One other important detail is that Zalupski is interested in keeping the team in the Tampa Bay region, despite being based out of Jacksonville, and surely that had some weight in Sternberg reportedly accepting his bid.  This all comes at a time when the Rays are in the middle of a playoff push in their temporary home at an A-ball park, and the team's immediate and long-term future homes are both severely in doubt.  The MLB schedule has been released around this time the last few years, and I suspect it hasn't been released for 2026 yet because nobody is certain whether or not Tropicana Field will be repaired in time for next season.

Let's for argument's sake say the sale does go through.  Even if that happens, this essentially resets the entire new ballpark process back pretty close to square one.  Which means that we're looking at probably minimum 5 years out for when the Rays could potentially be playing in a permanent new home.  The new ownership group could certainly build off the legwork of past site studies, government negotiations, and designs, but they are also reportedly only interested in covering 60% of the stadium cost, which will mean trying to resurrect old public financing deals or finding money elsewhere.  St. Petersburg says they're keeping the door open to the new ownership group, but I find it hard to believe that they'd open their ears and their wallets all over again, only this time in 2026 dollars.  The new ownership group reportedly does prefer Tampa to St. Pete, but the current ownership group has tried and failed so many times in Tampa that I can't see that happening unless there is a larger private financing chunk, or if new previously unvetted sites emerge.  Tampa is in a different county than St. Pete which further muddies the political aspect.  The biggest site contender for a ballpark in Tampa in the past is now slated to become a soccer stadium, so that would seem to be off the table.  I'm obviously not a real reporter and I'm not privy to the day-to-day conversations, so maybe things have changed on that front, and maybe Tampa is willing to loosen their purse strings since they were within a fingernail of the team building in St. Pete.  But purely as an outsider who's been following this story for 20 years, to say I'm skeptical is an understatement.  My money would be on Orlando swooping in.  They've demonstrated that they have substantial private backing and have an organized campaign to bring a team to the area.  I could see them partnering with Zalupski to make something happen there if he doesn't have the stomach for a multi-year process in Tampa Bay.  I'm honestly kind of surprised that Orlando didn't win a bid to land the Rays in the first place.  Orlando is only about 90 minutes from Tampa and roughly the same size and media market, so I think this would also satisfy Commissioner Manfred's desire to keep a team in this area.  I've been wrong many, many times before, but as of July 21st 2025, that is my guess.

As always, and as I say multiple times a year with the Rays - stay tuned.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 7/21/25:

Brewers 59-40, --, +5.0 WC; 3 @ Mariners, 3 v. Marlins, 3 v. Cubs

Twins 48-51, -11.5, -5.0 WC; 3 @ Dodgers, 3 v. Nationals, 3 v. Red Sox

Athletics 42-59, -16.0, -12.0 WC; 3 @ Rangers, 4 @ Astros, 3 v. Mariners

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 7
Peter - 23

Return to Milwaukee

All photos of American Family Field available on Flickr.

My family and I just got back from a whirlwind 9-day return visit to Milwaukee this past week.  We went to Summerfest, we hung out with friends and family, we visited many parks and beaches, we ate frozen custard, and we imbibed at restaurants and bars both new and old.  But one of the highlights was of course returning to American Family Field.  It's interesting every time we come back to my home ballpark now to see it through a fresh set of eyes.  I don't want to say I ever took it for granted when we lived in Milwaukee, but I definitely get much more excited for the limited opportunities I do get to go to Brewers games now, and I have a newfound appreciation for the comforts of home and all its quirks.  I tend to be much more observant and live in the moment when I go to new or seldom-visited ballparks, and I definitely felt that internal shift in my mindset during our two games at AmFam Field.  Tuesday night's affair pitting young phenom Jacob Misiorowski against the old battle-tested Clayton Kershaw was probably in my top 10 regular season MLB games I've ever witnessed in person, and something that was made even more special by the fact that I was a tourist instead of a resident.  It's weird to write a post entitled "Return to Milwaukee" when I lived there for 75% of my life, but this was really my first time at a Brewers home game that I truly felt like a visitor, so I think the title is fitting.  It was an odd feeling to be sure, but being around those two huge crowds was also very rejuvenating, and it was nice to be among my people and remember why I am a Brewers fan.

It certainly didn't hurt that the Brewers are playing so well right now.  They just finished a perfect 6-0 homestand to end the first half at 56-40, which is the most wins a Brewers team has ever had at the All-Star Break in its 57-year history.  I could digress for hours on the Brewers' long-term strategy for success - and in fact I did edit out multiple paragraphs from this post - but needless to say, it's impressive that this team is still breaking records in the midst of an 8 1/2-year run the likes of which this franchise has never known.  They've been doing it primarily with defense and pitching the last 5 years or so, and myself and 38,000+ fellow Brewers fans got a glimpse of the franchise's future pitching star on Tuesday night with a dominant 12-strikeout performance against a future Hall-of-Famer (I think that term is used way too loosely but I don't think anybody can deny Kershaw will have a plaque in Cooperstown).  It was only Miz's 5th career start, but it was so impressive that I think it was the cherry on top that earned him a controversial selection to the All-Star Game.  Megan and I also went to Friday night's beatdown of the Nationals.  Christian Yelich and electric newcomer Andrew Vaughn both homered in this win, with DL Hall and Quinn Priester combining to complete all 9 innings with only 3 runs allowed between them.  The walk back to the car in the pouring rain never seems to bother you after a big win, and feeling that energy in the parking lot is one of the things I missed most about American Family Field.

Speaking of energy in the parking lot, one thing I am certainly guilty of taking for granted when I lived in Milwaukee is tailgating, so we took full advantage of that Friday night.  There just aren't that many places where drinking in a parking lot is not only allowed but encouraged, and it was a sight for sore eyes.  It was really more of a "beergate" as Erik and I used to say, because we didn't want to grill anything and be too full so we could explore some of the seemingly perennial food upgrades at the ballpark.  Concessions and audio-visual enhancements would make AmFam Field nearly unrecognizable to anyone who has not been there in the last decade.  This year's newest addition comes in the form of a new bar and food truck park in the left field corner on the loge level, which was previously a dead zone that will not be missed.  I thought the food in the 3rd Street Market Hall in right field was still much better than this area, but I liked the intimate vibe here, and it's a really cool bar that has at least a partial view of the field, which you can't say about many other bars at this ballpark.  I appreciate that the Brewers make every effort to work with what they have and constantly improve the fan experience, which they know is so important as a revenue generator.  There's only so much they can fit within the bones of this 25-year old retractable-roof park and it will always pale in comparison to the Target Fields of the world in terms of modern design and amenities, but the food, drinks, intangibles, and atmosphere - not to mention the team - are near the top of just about any other MLB experience you'll have.  I made the comment to Megan on Friday night as we were leaving that I still like Target Field better as a stadium, but the palpable vibe and energy at AmFam is way better, and ultimately what good is a beautiful stadium if it doesn't have atmosphere?

With each passing visit, I feel a bit more disconnected from Milwaukee as "home," and it gets a little bit more surreal every time we go back.  We had a lot of great memories there, but we unfortunately had to move away rather suddenly due to circumstances I won't get into, and that in and of itself will never make Milwaukee feel the same.  But the common thread, besides family and friends, is and always will be the Brewers.  Sometimes it only takes a fleeting experience to make something feel familiar to you all over again.

See below for an update to my American Family Field rankings for the first time since 2017.

updated park rankings
(see also previous rankings from 4/11/17):
aesthetics - decreases to 6 (interior is starting to feel outdated)
views from park - decreases to 3 (becoming more and more obstructed)
view to field - 4
surrounding area - improves to 4 (discovered lots of great places when we lived nearby)
food variety - 9
nachos - 9
beer - decreases to 7 (better variety, higher price)
vendor price - 7
ticket price - decreases to 9
atmosphere - 8
walk to park - 6
parking price/proximity - improves to 7
concourses - decreases to 7
team shop - 10
kids area - 7 (added category since 2017 - you can race a sausage!)

best food – Story Hill BKC burgers or 3rd St Market Hall
most unique stadium feature – roof, Bernie's slide
best jumbotron feature – Roll Out the Barrel 7th inning stretch
best between-inning feature – Johnsonville Sausage Race

updated field dimensions - 342/400/345

starters - Clayton Kershaw (LAD) v. Jacob Misiorowski (MIL); Mitchell Parker (WSH) v. DL Hall (MIL)
opponent - Los Angeles Dodgers; Washington Nationals
time of game - 2:17; 2:15
attendance - 38175; 35057
score - 3-1 W; 8-3 W

Brewers score that day - 3-1 W; 8-3 W

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 7/14/25:

Brewers 56-40, -1.0, +4.0 WC; All-Star Break, 3 @ Dodgers

Twins 47-49, -11.5, -4.0 WC; All-Star Break, 3 @ Rockies
Athletics 41-57, -16.0, -11.0 WC; All-Star Break, 3 @ Guardians

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 7
Peter - 22

A's Officially Break Ground on Las Vegas Ballpark

(photo credit: The Nevada Independent)

The day I never thought would happen has happened.  After over two decades of in-fighting, failed proposals, multiple ownership groups, and burned bridges in not one but two Northern California cities, the Athletics finally broke ground on a new ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip this past week.  It is a beautifully designed armadillo-like structure by one of my favorite architects - Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), who incidentally also designed the failed Howard Terminal ballpark in Oakland that I personally thought was even cooler - and, barring any setbacks, is slated to be open for the 2028 season.  I've been saying since the A's started pursuing Vegas a few years ago that I won't believe this is actually happening until I see a shovel in the ground, and I witnessed with my own two eyes multiple gold-plated shovels in the ground during the ceremony.  I actually tuned into the live-stream just to make sure what I was seeing was real.  MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, Steve Hill of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Governor Joe Lombardo, Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson, embattled owner John Fisher, and A's President Marc Badain were among the dignitaries who pretended to shovel dirt from the pristine photo-op diamond-shaped dirt pile inside an air-conditioned trailer on the construction site, as part of an event that was emceed by team broadcaster and former Athletic player Dallas Braden.  

The groundbreaking event was pretty generic and scripted and typical of this type of ceremony, which was a little surprising given how Las Vegas operates, but the symbolism of this particular groundbreaking held a little bit more weight then many of its kind.  This was not a team simply building a new stadium just because they felt like they needed a new one like the Braves and Rangers in recent years, and this was not a team like the Twins or Brewers that broke ground on a park under threat of move or sale if it were not built.  Rather, this was a team that was actively homeless, playing in years of untenable situations in a stadium that was borderline unsafe, and in fear of being taken over by MLB and ceasing to exist entirely.  I don't want to say the Athletics "deserve" this ballpark, because the owner is a sleazebag billionaire who deserted Oakland for a few extra bucks, but I'm happy for the players, the organization, and that the city of Las Vegas is getting such a cool new attraction.  As much as I wished the team could have worked something out in Oakland, I'm at least happy that this saga finally seems to be heading towards the light at the end of the tunnel.  

I do still have my doubts.  Fisher has not shown credible evidence of where all of his private financing is coming from, other than banks verifying that yes he can afford it.  Tariffs, inflation, supply chain issues, the general state of the economy, and the impending expiration of the collective bargaining agreement all cast doubt on whether or not this project will finish on time.  And even if it does finish on time, will Fisher inevitably beg for more money like the Rays owner did to cover added costs?  Usually when these new stadiums get started, it kind of goes on autopilot and Erik and I start planning our trip there, but it's far from a certainty with this franchise.  It's more certain than it has been in 20 years, but all I can confidently say is that the stadium is being built, and professional baseball will be played in Las Vegas by somebody at some point.  I sincerely hope all of the groundwork being done in the Las Vegas community by the A's is a legitimate show of good faith, and not the rug being pulled over another city's eyes.  I'm super excited to see what a ball trip to Las Vegas will look like for Erik and I in our mid-40s, much more excited than whatever the hell is going on in Tampa Bay right now.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 6/30/25:

Brewers 47-37, -2.0; 3 @ Mets, 3 @ Marlins, 3 v. Dodgers, 3 v. Nationals

Twins 40-44, -12.5; 3 @ Marlins, 3 v. Rays, 3 v. Cubs, 3 v. Pirates
Athletics 34-52, -17.0; 3 @ Rays, 3 v. Giants, 3 v. Braves, 3 v. Blue Jays

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 7
Peter - 17

Tour Molly 2025: Newman Outdoor Field

All photos of Fargo, Moorhead, and Newman Outdoor Field available on Flickr.

The 2025 installment of Tour Molly took us to the 4th different state of our travels in 5 years: North Dakota.  In doing so, we logged Molly's 23rd ballpark visited and the 35th state I've seen a ballgame in.  More specifically, we were in Fargo, and it was about a 2 1/2 hour drive northwest from Cold Spring.  It's a very odd feeling driving that direction on I-94, almost like you're driving off the face of the earth into the great unknown.  Maybe it's because it's the furthest west I've ever driven on this particular interstate, or maybe it's because the Great Plains is so vast and desolate, or both.  But even a state that has fewer people than Milwaukee County has breweries, and we started our weekend at one of North Dakota's best - Drekker Brewing Company.  The brewery has become so big and popular that they opened an adjacent food & entertainment wonderland called "Brewhalla" a couple years ago, and that's where I took Molly for lunch.  This eclectic venue has a food hall, bar serving of course Drekker beer, and a market on the first floor; seating, pinball, some event spaces, and another bar on the 2nd floor; and a hotel on the 3rd and 4th floors, with a dramatic atrium piercing the industrial building all the way down from the roof to create a rectangular donut-shaped building.  This was probably my favorite non-baseball place we went the entire weekend and we spent a good hour exploring here.  Molly got to try pinball for the first time, and I got to pick up some beer to bring home, so it was a win-win.  I feel like every state and major city has that one brewery where your loved ones make you bring beer home if you're visiting out of town, and Drekker is definitely that place in Fargo, as evidenced by the haul my sister-in-law requested.  After Brewhalla, Molly burned off some energy at the local trampoline park and in the hotel pool before we ended the day at Space Aliens for dinner, which is a small chain restaurant featuring a retro space theme, arcade, and for some reason barbecue.  Molly and I have now been to 2 of its 3 locations, so we have no choice but to go to Bismarck on a future daddy-daughter trip to complete the tour.

Just as my trips with Erik have slowly become formulaic over time, so too have my trips with Molly.  There are a few tried-and-true activities and must-do's on our trips, and we hit a couple of those on Friday in the brewery and the pool.  Another must is a hotel with continental breakfast.  I'm pretty sure our vacations could just consist of driving 3 minutes to the local Cold Spring hotel to swim and eat breakfast in bed all day, and that would more than satiate my daughter (not surprisingly at all, Erik has the same travel priorities as a 7-year old).  Molly was mesmerized by this pancake conveyor belt contraption at our hotel that looked like it was from the 1950s and they were clearly cobbling together with eBay parts.  Those pancakes and a good morning swim would be the foundation of an extremely busy day we had planned before the 6pm ballgame.  We hit the West Acres Mall, Red River Zoo, Swing Barrel Brewing in Moorhead, and the Fargo Air Museum all in the span of about 6 hours.  Molly was visibly tired by midday, but she was a trooper and we had a blast at every stop, with the exception of the Air Museum which was kind of a dud.  To anybody considering a trip to Fargo, unless you were in the military or are an aviation buff, don't waste the money.  We were having so much fun that I totally forgot about the Roger Maris Museum in town, but I wouldn't have changed a thing that we did.  It was nice to have a bunch of activities that didn't take more than an hour and were able to hold a child's attention.  The zoo in particular was great because it was so small with so many winding paths that it really kept Molly engaged and not complaining about walking like kids that age usually do.  

Our last stop before the ballgame was purposely the Air Museum because it was just down the street from the ballpark, and by the time we got there around 4:45, there were already lines around the block for people trying to snag one of the giveaway jerseys to the first 1,000 fans.  I've never been one to refuse anything "free," but by the looks of the lines I was more concerned about just getting a ticket than the jersey.  We paid $3 to park across the street from the right field gate and hustled all the way to the main entrance to thankfully snag two GA seats for $11 apiece.  I then made poor Molly walk all the way back to the much shorter right field line, but she kept herself occupied with her newly acquired binoculars from the zoo.  We did end up getting the giveaway jerseys, and Molly donned her men's XL just long enough for a funny picture before shedding it.  The kids area was conveniently right inside the RF gate, and doubly convenient right next to the visiting bullpen, so we killed time here for a bit before grabbing some food and settling into the bleachers.

Newman Outdoor Field has hosted the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the independent American Association for their entire 30-year existence, and also hosts the North Dakota State Bison D-1 ball team.  The exterior of this stadium shares a look that several other minor/indy parks of this era seem to share as well (Joliet, Schaumburg, Durham, and Akron to name a few), in that it has a massive front entrance with a grand stair to ascend to the main level.  The imposing masonry walls and entrance are definitely what stick out about this park, and is a style for this size of ballpark that you don't often see anymore in newer parks.  The late '90s/early '00s were all about the retro craze with elegant brick and stone work, designed to look timeless before a game was even played there, whereas two-deck parks today tend to be much more open and inward focused.  Fargo's generation of ballpark - neither old nor new - should age pretty well, and it was a treat to be at a place that had an appealing and memorable exterior.  I think the fact that this park also serves NDSU and is literally on their campus also helps explain and justify the aesthetic choice.  The brick and stone colors seem to match nearby buildings, as collegiate architecture often does, and the grand sets of stairs scream old campus building.  The brick archways that were meant to look like infilled windows were a very nice touch and helped ground the tall walls and give them some human scale. I also loved the fountains and mature trees surrounding the building that really softened the hard edges.  What I didn't like about the exterior design was more from a practicality side, in that you have to walk up the stairs to buy a ticket, and then descend to wait in line, then re-ascend the stairs to gain entry.  Seems like they could have a ticket window at ground level to help alleviate that awkward issue and still allow you to have your grand entry stair.  The gate we entered in right field was at grade, and the stairs were on the inside, so that was kind of a cool way to enter the stadium.  It creates kind of a build-up to the panorama of the field once you get to the top - Beloit is a recent example that comes to mind that utilizes this technique.  Once you're on concourse level, it's not unlike any other modern concourse with an open view to the field.  It was a bit cramped, but that could have just been from the near sellout.  This park does not have outfield access, which was not uncommon for parks this old at this level, but is always a big letdown.  My favorite part of the interior was the press/club level, done in a simple metal panel.  Nothing fancy about this material - you might even say it's cheap - but when contrasted with the massive masonry exterior, I liked how it softened the view inside.  Doing the inside in brick as well would have been way too intimidating and unnecessary.  Our seats were in a lone section of GA bleachers in right field, but otherwise your run-of-the-mill 20 rows of seats from roughly dugout to dugout.  The football Fargodome and a practice facility can be seen beyond the outfield wall, which is packed to the gills with advertising as it should be.  What Newman Outdoor Field lacks in originality on the inside, it more than makes up for on the outside, and the two aspects work well in concert together, especially when coupled with the on-campus site.  Overall this was a very pleasant stadium, and one of the better ones in the AA.  I've now been to 9 of the 12 parks in this league and have my sights set on a trip to Winnipeg sometime in the next few years.

Molly got her second wind after scarfing down a bag of cotton candy and getting her picture taken with Hawkeye, but the energy was short-lived, and we only made it through 6 innings.  Fargo-Moorhead was winning 3-2 when we left, and the box score tells me that they held on for a 5-2 victory.  The visiting DockHounds started off with a bang by the first two batters parking the first two pitches of the game beyond the left field wall for no-doubt homers.  Kolby Kiser would settle down and those would be the only runs he allowed the rest of the way, and he actually earned the win.  Dillon Thomas and Alex Olund homered for the home team over the very short fences down the lines.  No names jumped out at me on either team as an "oh yeah I remember him, he's still playing ball?"  Although the starting pitcher for Lake Country is named Brett Conine, and he's only a year older than Griffin Conine, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's part of the MLB Conine family.

I think you can guess the two things we did at the hotel before we left to head back home Sunday morning.  It was another phenomenal trip, and I'm so glad that Molly is still as excited as I am to go on these adventures with me, and that she even indulges me with a little baseball.  Sioux Falls has still been my favorite city we've visited so far, but we always have a blast no matter where we are.  I'm already scouring the schedules to see what the next town ball game is we can go to together, and I'm already looking forward to Tour Molly 2026.

park rankings and statistics:

aesthetics - 8
views from park - 5 (Fargodome)
view to field - 8
surrounding area - 5 (NDSU)
food variety - 4
nachos - 7 (bonus points for nacho helmet)
beer - 10 (they sell Drekker, Hamms, and 2/$6 Pabst Light...if that doesn't get you a 10 I don't know what does)
vendor price - 9 (don't see $3 dogs that much anymore)
ticket price - 9
atmosphere - 7
walk to park - 5 (pretty walk around the building)
parking price/proximity - 9 ($3 across the street, easy in/out)
concourses - 6 (a bit cramped, points deducted for no outfield access)
team shop - 7

kids area - 8 (bullpen adjacent...would be a 10 if there was a beer stand nearby)

best food - tacos
most unique stadium feature - main entry/exterior
best jumbotron feature - ads for Fargo Blues Festival

best between-inning feature - giant inflatable bowling

field dimensions - 318/408/314

starters - Brett Conine (LC) v. Kolby Kiser (FM)
opponent - Lake Country DockHounds
time of game - 2:22
attendance - 3875
score - 5-2 W

Brewers score that day - 8-5 L

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 6/16/25:

Brewers 39-34, -5.5; 3 @ Cubs, 3 @ Twins, 3 v. Pirates, 3 v. Rockies

Twins 36-35, -9.0; 3 @ Reds, 3 v. Brewers, 4 v. Mariners, 3 @ Tigers
Athletics 29-44, -13.0; 4 v. Astros, 3 v. Guardians, 3 @ Tigers, 3 @ Yankees

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 6
Peter - 15